Book : The Taming of Chance (Ideas in Context)

By Ian Hacking

Antonia Colibasanu: I started reading this book because I am examining the geopolitical consequences of technological progress. Hacking looks at the history of science through the relationship between mathematics, physics and philosophy, and how their evolution leads to the development of institutions. This has led to organizational models that have shaped the way people have perceived the world since the 19th century. Scientific discoveries, human curiosity and politics have all worked together to change deterministic patterns and create new ones. Therefore, it all boils down to how we understand society. It is ultimately the networks that individuals create and their unique relationships that influence scientific innovation. In turn, innovation helps develop new norms for society, which is the political implication of technological progress. Societies develop differently, creating distinctions between countries. My questions after reading this book are how is our world – so much defined by artificial intelligence, the ultimate application of the microchip – going to further develop, and what norms will be broken and replaced by the next wave of technology?